6 Claims. (Cl. 92-SS) The present application is a division of the co-pending application Serial Number 189,643 filed April 23, 1962, l

since issued as U.S. Patent No. 3,152,522.

This invention relates to huid-powered actuators and means for mounting the same and effecting connection into a fluid powering system and in particular to an actuator in which the pivotal mounting means serves also to connect the actuator into the fluid powering system.

While reference will be made herein, in describing the constructions shown in the various figures of the drawing, to a hydraulic actuator adapted for powering by a hydraulic system, it will be understood that the actuators shown are operable by other fluids, eg. a gas, supplied under pressure, and that the invention is not limited to an actuator powered by a hydraulic system.

A major object of the present invention is to provide an improved actuator having pivotable means for attaching the actuator to a fixed structure and carrying the'liow channels for connection of the actuator into a fluid powering system.

A related object is to provide an actuator and connecting and mounting means therefor which allow pivoting of the actuator `and dispense with ilexible tubing for connecting the actuator into the fluid powering system.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims and from the accompanying drawing illustrative of the invention.

In the drawing,

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a form of the piston rod and tube employable in the embodiment shown in the previous ligure; and

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the tube end guide.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an embodiment of the invention is shown wherein the piston 13A is movable relative to the `bulkhead 27A or other fixed structure. The piston 13A divides the cylinder 10A into first and second chambers 14A, 15A and has therethrough a central, `axial opening. According to the nomenclature adopted, the cylinder first end wall 11A is the one approached by the` piston 13A as the rod 16A is fully retracted into the cylinder A. `The second end wall 12A,

`at the opposite end of the cylinder 10A, has a generally cylindrical opening through which the rod 16A extends, the latter being concentrically mounted on one face ol the piston 13A and having an end 40A lying outside the cylinder and adapted for mechanical connection ofa body i to be moved by the actuator.

The ball A, rigidly mounted on one end of the cylin, der 19A, has a shank 19A which is threaded into an open. ing in, and thus rigidly aiiixed to, the first end wall 11A, the ball `being on the outer end of the shank. The ball 20A is provided with mutually spaced, first and second ports 22A, 42, one in its crown and one, for example, at its equator. As shown, more than one equatorial port 42 may be employed. The spherical socket 24A receiving the ball 20A is adapted for mounting on a bulkhead 27A or other fixed structure as by bolts 26A.

First and second ports 43, ld opening interiorly `of the socket `24A are adapted `for connection with respective hydraulic lines (not shown) through threaded openings bti Patented Aug. 24, i965 iiA, 3121A in the outer surface of the socket. The socket ports d3, i12- are made larger than the ball ports 22A, fi?. with which they are `in register in order that they will continue to communicate with the .same throughout the range of pivoting of .the cylinder' lilA on the fixed structure ZA.

A rigid tube 118A has an open end sealingly and rigidly mounted in the ball Ztl/A in communication with the first port 22A. The tube 18A extends through a passage 21A in the ball ZliA and shank 19A into the cylinder second chamber 15A, thence through the central opening of the piston iEiA into the piston rod 16A, which is provided with an axial passage lA of larger diameter than the tube @A and extending from the piston iEiA toward the rod outer end idr-i. The inner end of the rod ldA encircles and seals oit the axial opening in the piston 13A, and any appropriate means are employed toseal between the tube 13A and piston 13A where the tube slidably passes through the piston opening. The portion of the tube 18A received within the rod passage 17A has a` free end d5 which is open to provide communication between the respective interiors of the tube ltA and rod 16A. At its outer end, the rod passage 17A has a reduced-diameter portion d6 which is only slightly larger in diameter than the tube 13A and is entered by the tube free end 45 upon the rod approaching complete retraction. The rod passage 17A is connected with the cylinder first chamber MA through an opening i7 in the rod 16A adjacent the piston 13A. The opening 47 is positioned to lie within the cylindrical opening of the second end wall 12A, upon the rod 16A approaching and reaching full extension, and thus to be at leas-t partial-ly blocked by material of the second end Wall.

The passage 21A within the shank 19A and ball 20A 'is coaxial with the rod passage 117A and terminates within the ball after intersection with the ball second port 4t2. Thus fortminU a conduit coaxial with the tube 15A, this passage 21A extends axially through the ball ZilA and shank 19A and through an opening 51 in the inner end of the shank into the cylinder second chamber 15A, the

, opening being encircled by an annular flange or shoulder 36A with a straight-walled, cylindrical inner surface; Flow through the ball-and-shank passage Zl-.A thus is external of the tube 18A.

On the face of the piston 13A adjacent the first end wall llA is an anular llange 37A whose straight-walled exterior surface is of only slightly less diameter than and mates closely with the corresponding surf-ace of the end wall flange 36A, with which it is concentric, upon the piston rod 16A approaching full retraction in the cylinder ltiA. ln a typical application, the clearance between the mating surfaces of the two flanges 36A, 37A is .010 inch.

When, for example, hydraulic fluid `under pressure .is admitted into the firstthreaded opening SGA, the orw is through the tube llA into the rod passage 17A and from there into the cylinder first chamber 14A through the rod opening 47. The accompanying movement of the piston litA to the right, if continued to the end portion of the piston stroke, mates the two close-fitting flanges StEA, 37A encircling the opening 51 into the shank passage 21A and thus partially blocks outflow of fluid from the second chamber 15A into `the hydarulic return line (not shown) through passage ZtlA, ball second port (i2, and socket opening 34A and consequently slows the rate` of retraction of the rod leA; which retractionis stopped by the piston 13A striking the end wall flange 36A. At the same time, the tube free end. i5 enters the close-fitting, reduced-diameter portion do of the rod passage 17A, thus greatly restricting the flow of fluid under pressure into` the first chamber IAA. via the open line (not shown).

snoepen j retraction condition, and in this condition the free end 45 of the rod is supported in the rod passage reduceddiameter portion i6 and thus protected from the possibly deleterious effects of vibrations and large accelerations. It will be noted that `both the construction wherein the i rod end 45 enters the pasasge reduced-diameter portionv y t5 and the construction wherein there is mating of matching tlanges 36A, 37A cooperate to serve a common end, and that one or the other may be omitted as may be desired without loss of the needed snubbing of rod travel upon complet-e retraction of the rod 16A.

Upon reversing the hydraulic ilow, iluid enters the `second threaded opening 34A, passes through the second ports 44, 42 of the socket and ball, and flows through the shankV passage 21A into the second chamber ESA, thus moving the piston 13A to the left. Displaced iluid flows from the cylinder first chamber 14A through the rod opening 47 into the rod passage 17A, thence into the tube open end 45, through the tube 18A, and out the rst threaded opening 30A into a hydraulic system return As the rod 16A nears full extension, its motion is snubbed by partial blockage of the rod opening 47 by material of the end wall EZA. It will be understood that a snubbing or slowing action is experienced, at either end of the stroke of the piston llSA,

`when the piston starts to move away from an adjacent one of the end walls 11A or 12A as well as when, as described, it approaches one or the other of the end walls.

In FIGURE 2 the rod 16B is shown as having a passage 17B which does not have at its outer end a reduceddiameter portion such las described above. All of the rod passage 17B through which the tube ISB extends is cylindrical and of the same diameter; and the tube ISB bears, rigidly mounted on its free end, a sliding guide 41S which engages the Wall of the passage 17B on each side of the tube 13B. In this way, the tube tree end is provided with support. The guide d8 may be of any suitable material such as metal or a heat-resistant, tough plastic, and its form must be such as to leave a free ow-path between the open end of the tube ISB and the rod passage 17B adjacent the piston 13B, the guide for example having four arms as shown in FIGURE 3. The -rod 16B, rod passage 17B, and tube 18B otherwise may be made exactly as in FIGURE 1 and may optionally be employed in the actuator of FIGURE l.

Almost invariably, the body directly actuated by and to which a hydraulic motor is connected is a lever. Connection is at, -tor example, the rod end 40A (FIGURE l) of the actuator of the example. As the rod 16A extends and retracts, therefore, the rod end 40A follows an arcuate path, and the cylinder A is pivotally deflected relative to the fixed structure 27A on which it is mounted. Thus, whereas the actuator centerline will be at a given location when the piston rod is at an intermediate point of extension, the actuator centerline often is deflected in one direction at full retraction :and in an opposite direction at full extension. The hydraulic system tubing (not shown) to the actuator is in the form of metallic tubes rigidly mounted on fixed structure relative to which the actuator is pivotable. To make hydraulic connection into the two ends of the actuator, therefore, the connecting means employed must make allowance for the pivoting motion of the actuator. In the past, this has been accomplished by employing iiexible tubing in the terminal :portions of the two hydraulic lines to a doubleacting actuator. As the severity `of operating conditions lhas increased, these lines have been rendered inadequate, for no known materials of construction have been availiable which could enable them to withstand the operating pressures and temperatures involved and yet retain a lexible form. In a high-pressure line, for example, working pressure commonly may stand at 4,00() psi., while pressure surges may range up to 6,000 psi.; meanwhile, the ambient air temperature may range to 650 F. To provide a tube flexible enough to withstand actuator pivoting and yet capable of resisting the high temperatures and pressures involved, coiled metallic tubes have been employed to make hydraulic connection at each end of the actuator. While these have met with a degree of success, their high bulk is very objectionable in aircraft applications, where limitations of space often preclude their use or make impossible their proper placement with respect to 'actuator movement. Y

ln the present construction, no lexible tubing is employed; the actuator vis connected to the hydraulic lines through rigid connection of the latter to the ports MA, 34A and by means of the same structure is pivotally mounted on the bulkhead 27A. Rotation of the ball 29A in the socket 24A allows motion of the actuator relative to the bulkhead 27A and xed hydraulic ports, 30A, 34A, 28, while at the same time maintaining duid-tight hydraulic connections.

While only one embodiment of the invention, together with several modifications thereof, has been described herein and shown in the accompanying drawing, it will be evident that various further modications are possible in the arrangement and construction of its components without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

ll. In combination, t

a huid-powered actuator having a cylinder and a piston slidably dividing the cylinder interior into rst and second chambers, the piston having an opening therethrough;

a rod mounted on one face of thepiston;

a ball rigidly mounted on one end of the cylinder;

a spherical socket receiving the ball and adapted for mounting on a nxed structure;

mutually spaced, iirst and second ports in the ball;

a rigid tube xed relative to the ball and having a portion extending axially of the cylinder and sealingly and slidably through the piston opening, thetube havingrcommunication with the rst port and said tube portion having a free end;

a passage of larger diameter than the ktube and extending axially within the rod, which passage receives the tube portion extending -through the piston and has an openingrconnecting the passage with the cylinder lirst chamber at a location adjacent the piston, the passage having communication with the tube interior;

a passage connected with the second part and extending through the ball, said passage having a wall;

`an opening from the last-named passage into the second chamber;

and first and second ports in the socket adapted for connection with respective lines of a iluid powering system and respectively communicating, throughout a range of rotation of the ball in the socket, with the iirst :and second ports of the ball, the ball having a shank by means of which itis rigidly mounted on said one end of the cylinder,

said passage connected with the second port and extending through the ball having extension within and axially of the shank to said opening into the second chamber,

the tube extending through the shank within said passage connected with the second port and having an end" rigidly and sealingly mounted within the ball in communication with the rst port, said tube having a wall radially spaced inwardly of said passage from said passage wall,

flow through the passage connected with the second port, within the shank, being external of the tube.

2. In combination,

a Huid-powered actuator having a cylinder and a piston slidably dividing the cylinder interior into iirst and second chambers, the piston having an opening therethrough;

-a rod mounted on one face of the piston;

a ball rigidly mounted on one end of the cylinder;

a spherical socket receiving the ball and adapted for mounting on a fixed structure;

mutually spaced, rst and second ports in the ball;

a rigid tube fixed relative to the ball and having a portion extending axially of the cylinder and sealingly and slidably through the piston opening, the tube having communication with the first port :and said tube portion having a free end;

a passage of larger diameter than the tube and extending axially Within the rod, which passage receives the tube portion extending through the piston and has an opening connecting the passage with the cylinder first chamber at a location adjacent the piston, the passage having communication with the tube interior;

a passage connected with the second port and extending through the ball, said passage having a wall;

an opening from the last-named passage into the second chamber;

:and first and second ports in the socket adapted for connection with respective lines of a fluid powering system and respectively communicating, throughout 'a range of rotation of the ball in the socket, with the first and second ports of the ball, the cylinder :having :an end Wall with a cylindrical opening through which the rod extends,

the rod passage opening lying within the end wall cylindrical opening and being at least partially blocked by material of the end wall when the rod is fully extended from the cylinder.

3. In combination,

:a fluid-powered actuator having a cylinder and a piston slidably dividing the cylinder interior into first and second chambers, the piston having an opening therethrough;

a rod mounted on one face of the piston;

a ball rigidly mounted on one end of the cylinder;

a spherical socket receiving the ball and adapted for mounting on a fixed structure;

mutually spaced, first and second ports in the ball;

.a rigid tube fixed relative to the ball and having a portion extending axially of the cylinder and sealingly and slidably through the piston opening, the tube having communication with the first port and said tube portion having a free end;

a passage of larger diameter than the tube and extending axially Within the rod, which passage receives the tube portion extending through the piston and has an opening connecting the passage` with the cylinder first chamber at a location adjacent the piston, the passage having communication with the tube interior;

a passage connected with the second port and extending through the ball, said passage having a Wall;

an opening from the last-named passage into the second chamber;

and first and second ports in the socket adapted for connection with respective lines of a fiuid powering system and respectively communicating, throughout a range of rotation of the ball in the socket, with the first and second ports of the ball, the rod passage having a portion reduced to a diameter only slightly exceeding that of the tube free end and into which reduced-diameter portion the tube free ends enters and remains upon complete retraction of the rod into the cylinder, said reduced-diameter portion of the rod passage being spaced and distinct for said piston opening.

4. In combination:

a cylinder having ends closed by first and second end walls each having a central opening;

.a piston having therethrough a central opening and slidably mounted in the cylinder for dividing the interior ofthe latter into rst and second chambers;

an annular shoulder on a face of the piston spaced radially outwardly from `and concentric with the piston opening;

an .annular shoulder on the first end wall concentric with the piston shoulder and closely mated with the latter upon the piston reaching one end of its stroke;

a shank rigidly fixed in the first end wall opening and having on its outer end a ball;

-a first port in the crown and a second port `at the equator of the ball;

a tube slidably and sealingly extend-ing through the piston opening and having a free end and an end rigidly fixed relative to the ball, the interior of the tube communicating with the first port;

a rod concentrically mounted on the piston and extend- -ing through the opening of the second end wall;

a passage of greater diameter than thetube and extending axially in the rod, the passage ext-ending from the piston opening toward the outer end of the rod;

a reduced-diameter portion of the passage of only slightly greater diameter than the tube and located where it is entered by the tube free end upon complete retraction of the rod;

an opening from the rod exterior into its interior adjacent the piston, the rod opening being at least partially covered by material of the second end wall upon complete extension ofthe rod;

a passage in .the ball which opens into the second port and extends through the shank into the second chamber in a location encircled by the annular shoulder of the first cap;

a socket receiving the ball and provided with means for mounting the socket on a given fixed structure;

and first and second ports in the socket adapted for connection with respective lines of a fluid powering system and respectively communicating, throughout a range of pivoting of the shank on the fixed structure, with the firstand second ports of the ball.

5. In a fluid-powered actuator having a cylinder, a

piston dividing the cylinder interior into first and second chambers, a port communicating with the second chamber, and means for connecting the port to a line of a fluid powering system, the construction comprising:

an axial opening through the piston;

a hollow rod enclosing a passageway communicating with the piston opening, which rod is rigidly mounted on the piston for extension through and from the first chamber and which has an opening adjacent the piston and communicating between the first chamber and rod passage;

a tube of smaller diameter than the rod passage and having an end rigidly mounted relative to the cylinder;

means for connecting the tube end to a line of a fluid powering system;

a reduced-diameter portion of the rod passage spaced from the piston;

a portion of the tube slidingly and sealingly extending through the piston opening and having a free end of only slightly less diameter than the rod passage reduced-diameter portion and received inl said portion when the rod is fully retracted into the cylinder; and structure rigidly fixed relative to the cylinder and at least partially blocking the opening adjacent the piston upon and just prior to arrival of the rod at its position of full extension from the first chamber. 6. In a hydraulic actuator having a cylinder, a piston dividing the cylinder interior into first and second chambers, a port communicating with the second chamber, and means for connecting the port to a line of a fluid powering system, the construction comprising:

an axial opening through the piston;

a hollow rod enclosing a passageway communicating with the piston opening, which rod is rigidly mounted =on the piston for extension through and from the first chamber and which has an opening adjacent the piston and communicating between the rst chamber and rod passage; Y

a -tube of smaller diameter than the rod passage and having an end rigidly mounted relative to the cylinder;4

means for connecting the tube end to a line of a iluid powering system;

an end wall of the cylinder approached by the piston as the rod is retracted to its fullest extent into the rst chamber;

an annular ange on said end wall with a straightwalled cylindrical surface and enclosing said port communicating with the second chamber;

an annular ange on the piston with a straight-Walled cylindrical surface which closely mates with the end wall annular flange cylindrical surface upon retraction of the rod to its fullest extent into the rst chamber;

(D ce and structure rigidly fixed relative to the cylinder and at least partially blocking the opening adjacent the piston upon and just prior to arrival of the rod -at its position of full extension from the irst chamber.